New exhibit, display feature the Edmund Fitzgerald

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Sault Ste. Marie Evening News - Sault Ste. Marie, MI

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Posted Jul. 18, 2013 at 3:00 PM

Posted Jul. 18, 2013 at 3:00 PM

Whitefish Point

The November 10, 1975 wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is long remembered by residents along the shores of Lake Superior. Visitors to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum learn of the circumstances surrounding the ship’s loss and that of her 29 man crew.

A new exhibit, “Edmund Fitzgerald: Snapshots in Time,” highlights the years that the Fitzgerald traveled the Great Lakes.

In coordination with the new exhibit, a special event will detail one individual’s unique quest to honor the lost crew and keep their memory alive.

Regarding the new exhibit, Shipwreck Museum Executive Director Bruce Lynn observed, “we have a substantial collection of Edmund Fitzgerald images in our archives and we liked the idea of putting them into an exhibit. These photos were all taken by amateur photographers and the vast majority are being seen by the public for the first time.”

In addition to the collection of images, a highly detailed 12’ long model of the Fitzgerald draws interest and comment. The model is constructed of over 18,000 Lego pieces and took nine years to build.

Historian and High School teacher John R. Beck started the project as a way to educate his students about Great Lakes’ shipping history. Ultimately, he and his students studied the ship and saw their research and work as a tribute to the sailors that perished on the Edmund Fitzgerald. Beck’s program will highlight his research on the ship, the interest his model has generated and the enduring story of the vessel’s untimely loss on Lake Superior.

The program, History and Commemorations for the Edmund Fitzgerald, will take place at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum on Friday, July 19 at 7 p.m.

The exhibit will remain open through October 31.

There is a fee to attend the program. Please call (906) 635-1742, or visit Shipwreckmuseum.com, for more information.